Blog #83: Gluten-Free Pasta Salad (Vegan + Food Allergy Safe)

Mama Mia! It’s pasta! 🍝 😍 A classic and versatile dish enjoyed all over the world for decades.

However, things can get a little bit tricky when you try to put your pasta fork into the gluten-free food realm.

Not all gluten-free pastas are created equal. Many gluten-free pastas turn to mush or fall apart after boiling — so knowing which brands to use is key to ending with a pasta dish your family and friends will enjoy and rave about.

Here’s a scrumptious gluten-free (and vegan) pasta salad I came up with recently.

Let’s get into the recipe, shall we?

Ingredients:

– 1 bag gluten-free brown rice pasta

– 2 to 3 tbsp vegan soy-free mayo

– 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

– 1/4 cup of fresh parsley and cilantro mixed (finely chopped)

– 3/4 cup chopped bell pepper

– 1 tbsp green onions (finely chopped)

– 1 cup chickpeas (cooked)

– 1 tbsp coconut palm sugar

– 1/2 tsp Pimentón (smoked paprika)

– Aromatic sea salt to taste (Herbamare sea salt)

This is the gluten-free pasta brand I buy primarily. This is the spiral pasta I used in this pasta salad recipe.

Method:

Pasta:

**Follow the cooking instructions on the back of the pasta package.**

I cooked my pasta for approximately 13 minutes and it came out the ideal texture.

Once the pasta is cooked, strain and set aside in a medium to large mixing bowl to give you enough room for mixing all the ingredients together later.

Herbs:

Ensure all your herbs are washed. Finely chop your cilantro, green onion and parsley, then set it aside.

Veggies:

Wash your bell peppers & chop them up finely.

Dressing:

In a small bowl, combine the mayo, lemon juice, coconut palm sugar and pimentón (smoked paprika). Mix well until all ingredients are combined.

Put It All Together:

Get the bowl with the cooled pasta. Add all of your additional ingredients in with the pasta and give it a gentle mix. Add in the dressing at the end and mix until everything is combined.

Now, enjoy this beautiful pasta salad with family and friends — or on your lunch break!